Water-level-signaling attachment for motor-cars



. H. W. KNAPP;

WATER LEVEL SIGNALING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR CARS.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYMIIQII.

413344304. PatentedJune2 9,1920.

A /0 3 J l4? I I 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT W. KNAPP, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

WATER-LEVEL-SIGNALING ATTACHMENT FOR MOTOR-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 29, 1920.

- Application filed May 14, 1917. Serial No. 168,618.

and useful Improvements in Water-Level- Signaling Attachments forMotor-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water level Sig naling equipment and isdesigned more particularly for signaling to the driver of a motor carwhen the volume of Water in the radiator falls to a level suggestive ofthe advisabilit-y of the replenishment to guard against over-heating ofthe engine, and 'my object is to produce an attachment of the characteroutlined, which will operate efliciently and which can be manufacturedand applied to motor cars at a small cost. With this object in view theinvention consists in certain novel and peculiar features ofconstruction and combinations of parts as hereinafter described andclaimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to behad to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1, is an elevation chiefly in vertical longitudinal section of apart of a motor car equipped with a signaling attachment embodying myinvention.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged central vertical section of a part of theattachment.

In the said drawing, 1 indicates a vessel adapted for securement in anysuitable manner, not shown, to the front side of the dash D of anautomobile, H indicating the hood andR the radiator of the car.

The vessel is provided with an opening 2 in its bottom and with an airvent 3 at the top. Near the top which is also provided with a partition4 having an opening 5 vertically above opening 2, and extending looselythrough and guided in said openings is a rod 6 equipped with a valve 7for normally engaging the partition 4 around the opening 5 to close saidopening to the passage of air or water. Near its lower end the rod (5 isprovided with a collar 8 to engage the'bottom of the vessel and limitdownward movement thereof and of the float 9 secured upon the rod 6within the vessel.

The rod is equipped at its upper end above the partition 4 with alaterally projecting spring contact 10 adapted to be spaced above acontact 11 when the valve 7 is closing the opening 5, that is when thefloat is elevated by water within the vessel,

as hereinafter more particularly explained. When said float occupies itsdepressed posi tion and the valve therefore its open position, thecontact 10 is engaged with contact 11 and a circuit is completed whichapprises the. driver of the car of the fact that the Ivater supply inthe radiator is undesirably The contact 11 is electrically connected toa binding post 12, and said parts are insulated as at 13 from thevessel, the binding post being disposed exteriorly of the vessel andadjacent a binding post 14 mounted on the vessel and electricallyengaged there with.

the vessel around opening2 with a T-coupling 16 secured on the drainpipe P of the 15 is a pipe-way connecting the bottom of radiator andabove the pet-cock C of said drain pipe.

17 is an incandescent 'in circuit with said source of electric currentsupply, a diagrammatic view of the circuit being indicated in Fig. 1.

The float is of such wei ht that it will not rise and close the valveuntil the radiator has been charged with the minimum quantity of waterwith which it is desirable to operate the car, water in excess of saidamount whichis poured into the radiator simply tending to hold the floatelevated with greater force, and as long as the float is elevated thecircuit is broken through the lamp by the contacts 10 and 11, thisrelation of said contact continuing until the volume of water in theradiator and hence in the vessel falls sufliciently low to permit thefloat to descend until contact 10 engages contact 11. Immediately thislamp or other Si naling device secured to the dash at theengagementbetween said contacts takes driver of a car regarding the quantity ofwater in the radiator, and it will be noted that the attachment is ofsimple and. compact construction, is not liable to get out of order andWith the exception of the lamp is completely hidden from View.

While, I have illustrated the preferred construction and arrangement ofthe attachment, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to makeall changes in form, proportion, detail construction and organization asproperly fall Within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a Water level signaling attachment for motor cars and the like, avessel provided with a bottom opening, a partition provided with anopening vertically above said bottom opening, a vertical rod extendingthrough. said bottom. opening and the opening of the partition andprovided with a laterally-projecting spring contact 1.0, a valve securedto said rod for closing or opening the opening in the partition frombelow the same, a float secured upon said rod Within the vessel forimpartingelosing movement to said valve when the vessel contains therequisite quantity of" water and for opening said valve when the Waterlevel falls below the requisite (piantity, a pair of binding postssecured to the vessel one in electrical connection therewith and theother insulated therefrom, and a contact 11, extending from thelast-named binding post into the vessel above the partition thereof, forengagement by contact 10, when the float falls below a predeterminedlevel.

In testimony whereof: I aiiix my signature.

HERBERT W. KNAPP.

